THE LORD IS WITH YOU, MIGHTY WARRIOR!

Judges 6:11-12
It is great to be told by God that you a mighty warrior. As a disciple, the same is true of you. "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."

1. THE RIGHTEOUS DO NOT FOCUS ON THEIR FAILURES

Judges 6:3-6
These are the desperate circumstances under which God told Gideon that He was with him and that he was mighty. It is hard to believe that you are mighty when you look around you and see failure in your life.

Judges 6:13-16
God simply says to Gideon to go in the strength that he had, regardless how weal Gideon felt that he was. If we go in faith and we go with God, then the strength that we have is enough.

God's vision for Gideon was great - for him to save Israel. God has great vision for you. Don't sell out to small dreams and low vision. Aim as high as God will take you.

God assures Gideon by reminded him that it is He, God, who is sending him and so will be with him. With God and with faith in God, nothing is impossible.

"How can I?" asks Gideon. We may ask the same question sometimes. "How can I be fruitful/ remain faithful/ lead in the kingdom/ find a job/ find a spouse/ raise my kids well?" etc. The answer, verse 16, is that you can because God is with you to enable you.

Q. Have you allowed past failures to kill your faith in what you can do and what God is willing to do through you today? Refuse to focus on your failures. Focus instead on your Father and his faithfulness.


2. THE RIGHTEOUS DO NOT FOLLOW FALSE DOCTRINES

Judges 6:28-32

Joash, Gideon's father, was not intimidated by false religion or the intensity of those who sought to defend it. He took a stand. You must take a stand for what is true and take a stand against what is false.

There are all manner of doctrines being taught today about how to get saved. Examine the Bible and make sure that you have not been mislead by false teachings.

This is the truth:
Mark 16:15,16 You must believe and be baptized to be saved. Believing alone is not enough.
Acts 2:38,39 You must repent and be baptized to be saved. Repentance is not the point at which we are saved.


3. THE RIGHTEOUS DO NOT PUT THEIR TRUST IN FIGURES

Judges 7:1-2;4

God said that there were too many men and in the end whittled the number fo those to fight the vast opposing army to "only" three hundred. It was be easy to feel that 300 was too few to secure victory.

In many cases we trust the numbers rather than trust God and his power working in us. We feel that we'd be more effective if there were more disciples in our neighbourhood, school, college, etc, and use the lack of numbers as an excuse for lack of effectiveness.

The Lord does not need the many in order to do great things, he needs only the godly. 1 Samuel 14:6 "Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."

4. THE RIGHTEOUS DO NOT GIVE IN TO FEAR

Judges 7:3

Those God sent back were the fearful. Note there were vastly more fearful than brave. Fear is a sin that strikes at us all, and when and where it does, it paralyses us. Where there is fear, even the most talented are rendered ineffective, even the most experienced are rendered incapable, and the most energetic and enthusiastic are rendered inactive.

Q. What people and/or situations do you fear?

God repeats several times to Gideon that He is with him and that he therefore need not fear - Judges 7:7 and 9, having already said it twice in Judges 6:14 and 16. God will be patient with us as we strive to overcome the different fears in our lives, but we must be committed to overcoming them.

After Moses overcame his fear of leading his people and of facing Pharaoh, he became a great liberator. After David overcame fear by learning to take on lions and bears, he rose from shepherd boy to warrior to king. After Jesus overcame the temptation to fear the cross, he became the greatest of all liberators. Overcoming fear gives you the freedom to be your unrestrained best.

5. THE RIGHTEOUS LIVE BY FAITH

Judges 7:15,16
Gideon now worships God. He rallies men and declares victory in advance.

Judges 7:17
The man who had asked, "How can I" now shows exactly how he can and how the rest can too. He not only has faith, but is able to inspire many with it. You do not have to be an evangelist or have a great title in order to have an impact in the kingdom of God. All you need is to have faith, and that will inspire many.

Gideon and his men then pressed forward for the victory and rallied many others to their cause - Judges 7:22-25.

Judges 8:4,5
"Exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit." This is another quality of the righteous. The righteous do not give in to fatigue. They keep going to claim the prize for which they know that they have been called. In verse 12, Gideon makes victory complete.

When you have faith and know without doubt that God id with you, you are ready to push yourself, make your body your slave, and give of yourself - all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.

Q. Do you push yourself or do you try to get away with giving only the minimum effort necessary? You have to master your feelings, or your feelings will master you.

As men and women of God and disciples of Jesus Christ, we are not to focus on our failures, follow false doctrines, trust in figures, give in to fear, or succumb to fatigue. Instead, the righteous will live by faith.

Whatever you do, wherever you go, and whomever you meet, remember, God is with you, Mighty Warrior!